


A date of gold

by Echolux



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blind Date, F/F, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-15
Updated: 2017-05-15
Packaged: 2018-12-10 05:33:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,973
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11685111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Echolux/pseuds/Echolux
Summary: In which Zelena is Emma's boss and friend, Emma is attracted to money, and Zelena needs to teach her a lesson for that.





	A date of gold

While wiping tears from her eyes, Emma knew two things for sure. One, she wished she’d known her boss was this much fun way earlier. And two: she was definitely attracted to money and power.  
  
She slammed the empty glass - which had been filled with vodka just moments ago – back onto the table, and glanced around. It wasn’t just her – all of her colleagues seemed to crack up over the jokes that Zelena was telling.  
  
‘You know,’ Emma sighed theatrically – and clearly tipsy -, ‘it’s such a shame that, as my boss, you are _so very much_ out of my league.’

 She shook her head and looked down in disappointment, but she couldn’t help watching her boss from the corner of her eyes, to see if she’d pick up on her flirting attempt.  
  
Zelena cackled loudly at Emma’s statement. She beckoned the waiter and gestured for him to bring another round, after which she moved her head closer to Emma’s.  
  
‘I’m also _very much_ heterosexual, honey,’ she laughed softly. Then she held up her hand and wiggled her fingers; a big diamond sparkled from her ring finger. ‘ _And_ very much married.’  


Emma’s coworkers broke into laughter, and the blonde’s face slowly colored red.  
  
‘Nice one, Em!’ Killian shouted at her, as he raised his glass. Emma groaned and slid her head into her hands, as she realized what she’d just provoked.  
  
‘Is anyone writing this one down?’ Ruby yelled between failed attempts to catch her own breath. ‘Emma just tried to hook up with the CEO! Oh my god, guys!’  
  
Another wave of laughter rolled through the bar. The worst part was; Zelena had joined them in their laughter.  
  
‘You’ve always been the little gold-digger Emma, but I have to admit, I didn’t see _this_ coming!’ Killian grinned and leaned into Ruby.    
  
‘Stop it,’ Emma said through gritted teeth, but it was just fuel on the fire.  
  
‘Kudos for trying though!’ Ruby added, still yelling, ‘I don’t think anyone here would have the balls…-‘  
  
‘I said stop it!’ Emma tried to interrupt, but Ruby kept chattering.  
  
‘…- I mean, who would’ve thought that the one with the biggest _balls_ in this company would be a _woman?’  
  
_ At that moment, the waiter arrived with new drinks. Emma immediately took two glasses of the tray and threw the contents right at the faces of Killian and Ruby, but some of the liquid also splashed on the CEO.  
  
‘Emma!’ Zelena cried out, a look of utter shock on her face.  
  
‘They had it coming,’ Emma mumbled, while her two coworkers, not in any way affected by their wet clothes, were laughing so hard now they had serious trouble breathing.  
  
She pointed at the two empty glasses. ‘I’ll pay for those,’ then she pointed at Zelena’s dress, ‘and the dry cleaning.’  
  
Emma wanted to leave, to go to bed and stay in there for a month. But when she came off her chair and turned around, she felt a firm grip on her wrist.  
  
‘Emma! Would you just stop clowning around, sit your ass down, and have another drink, for god’s sake?’  
  
Emma’s gaze went from the hand on her wrist to the woman she was sure would fire her, but who for now just winked at her. She sighed, looked at Killian and Ruby, who had finally calmed down, and then at the door.  
  
‘I still want to know about you!’ Zelena said, as she noticed that Emma still wasn’t convinced to stay. ‘I’ll have to, if I want to hook you up with someone else,’ she added in a whisper. When Emma’s frown slowly disappeared, she continued: ‘They won’t be as pretty as me, of course, but I might know some people who slightly come close.’    
  
A combination of Zelena’s words and the alcohol that made her easily switch her temper, caused Emma to smirk. She snatched her wrist away, grabbed another two drinks off the table and handed one to Zelena.  
  
‘You have my attention.’

 

* * *

 

 

  
‘So, you really are a gold-digger,’ Zelena stated half a beer later. Emma just shrugged.  
  
‘Yeah. Well, at least I’m not denying it. I mean, being filthy rich is kind of attractive, you know?’  
  
Zelena grinned. ‘Enlighten me.’  
  
‘Them being able to spoil you, you claiming that you don’t want to be spoiled, but secretly getting off on eating at fancy restaurants and choosing the most expensive thing on the menu?’  
  
‘Emma!’ Zelena cackled. ‘That’s so superficial. If you think that every rich woman is going to buy their girlfriend a car just because they can, you’re sorely mistaken. People who know how to _handle_ being rich, I can imagine _that_ being attractive… but there’s no gain in that for you, isn’t it?’  
  
‘I think spoiling me _is_ handling your money well,’ Emma smirked. Zelena snorted and shook her head.  
  
‘But a rich bitch on the top of your wish list, Emma? I’m sure there are traits that are more important than… being extremely wealthy,’ she tried.  
  
Emma placed her beer back on the table and inhaled deeply. It was kind of embarrassing to explain.  
  
‘The way I see it, having a lot of money is a personality trait,’ she said slowly, not looking Zelena in the eye.  
  
‘It affects someone, their lifestyle, the way they think, the way they act. And that – that charisma, their aura, their… arrogance, it arouses me in a unique way.’  
  
‘Are you saying that you wouldn’t be able to fall for someone with minimum wage?’ Zelena asked, visibly amused.  
  
Emma thought about that for a moment.  
  
‘It would be… different.’  
  
‘They wouldn’t be able to arouse you?’  
  
‘They could, I guess… But I’ll feel the difference. There’s nothing like having sex in an eight-hundred-dollar hotel room,’ Emma added with an exaggerated sigh. At the mischievous twinkle in Zelena’s eyes, Emma looked up.  
  
‘What?’  
  
‘You wanna bet?’ Zelena asked her. ‘I’ll set you up with a blind date. At a… let’s say, mediocre bar. And afterwards, I want to hear from you if the woman I chose, was a minimum wage or… a rich bitch.’  
  
Emma huffed. ‘Easy. What do I win?’  
  
‘What do you win? I’m paying for your date Emma, I’m convinced you’ll get a price anyway,’ Zelena said, rolling her eyes playfully.  
  
‘Not if _she_ won’t be able to pay our next date!’ Emma teased back.  
  
‘Right. So if you win, if you guessed right that is, I’ll pay for the second date, too. With the same woman if she’s to your liking, or another if you two don’t click,’ Zelena offered. Emma nodded.  
  
‘And if I lose…?’  
  
‘If you lose… You’ll sympathize with the minimum wagers. So that means you’ll come to work by bike and in sweatpants instead of your fancy skinnies. You’re also not allowed to buy food in the cafeteria.’ Zelena shot her that mischievous grin again.  
  
‘A month?! But that’s not fair, I…’  
  
‘Weren’t you so sure of yourself, Emma?’  
  
‘Fine.’   
  
‘Great!’ Zelena said enthusiastically, holding out her hand to seal the bet.  
  
‘Hold up,’ Emma said, before shaking her hand, ‘this woman you’re setting me up with. Isn’t it kind of mean to set her up as a part of a bet?’  
  
Zelena placed her hand next to her mouth and stage-whispered, ‘not if she doesn’t know!’   
  
Emma opened her mouth to respond, but closed it again after a few seconds. Her boss sounded quite sure of herself…  
  
‘So how would she keep from spoiling her job, income and home during our date?’ she decided to ask anyway.  
  
Zelena just smiled and winked her.  
  
‘Just let me handle this, honey. You free next Friday?’

 

* * *

 

 

  
That Friday evening, Emma sat on a barstool, nervously playing with the glass of water in her hand. Beer didn’t seem like a great idea, as she hadn’t eaten much.  
  
Zelena had texted her time and place, and so Emma was waiting for her blind date. She looked at her watch for the umpteenth time, until it finally showed 8:00 pm. Any woman entering the place could be her date now.  
  
Emma already anticipated on Zelena setting her up with a minimum wage woman, making her look like she was rich, just to deceive Emma. She was sure Zelena wanted to teach her a lesson that way. What would be the whole point of the bet if she’d set her up with a rich woman? Emma chuckled softly and shook her head. This would be easy. She would just be nice to the woman who would be her blind date, and if she’d be attractive, who knows what’d happen next? Zelena would be paying for the next date anyway, and Emma definitely wasn’t opposed to a fun night… wherever she’d end up.  
  
After ten minutes, Emma got impatient and grabbed her phone.  
  
_“She’s not here yet.”_ she texted Zelena. Her phone bleeped a few seconds after she sent the message.  
  
_“Yes, she’s thirty minutes late. She’ll explain. Have another drink, it’s on me. ;-)”  
  
_ Emma sighed and rolled her eyes. Sure, she’d embarrass herself half an hour longer, all alone at a bar on a Friday night.  
  
‘I’m sorry, is this seat taken?’  
  
Emma looked up and shook her head at the woman who had interrupted her thoughts. She gestured at the stool and gave her a friendly look. Then Emma went to look at her watch again, but when the brunette sat down instead of taking the stool with her, she looked up again.  
  
‘I’m sorry, I…’ Emma took a deep breath as she watched the woman smiling at her. She was absolutely mesmerizing.  
  
‘Well hello Sorry, I’m Regina.’ The brunettes smile widened, and Emma shook her head in confusion.  
  
‘No, I, I’m sorry Regina. I don’t mean to be rude, but… I’m kind of waiting for someone.’  
  
Regina’s eyebrows shot up. ‘Oh, a friend? A date? A special someone?’  
  
‘Yes, a… I guess it’s a date,’ Emma nodded shyly. Regina’s smile came back as she looked around her.  
  
‘Well, I don’t see him around here, do I?’  
  
Emma’s jaw dropped at the brunette’s audacity.  
  
‘No, _she…’_ Emma cleared her throat and swallowed. ‘She isn’t. She will, though, she’s just late.’  
  
Regina nodded slowly and lifted one eyebrow.  
  
‘Right… are you sure you’re not stood up?’ Regina asked on a light tone, gesturing for the waiter to bring them two beers.  
  
‘What? I… What do you… What the hell are you doing, woman?’ Emma stuttered, eventually leaning back, frowning at the brunette. ‘Just leave me alone!’  
  
_So her manners abundantly compensate the way she looks,_ Emma thought wryly.  
  
‘Leave you alone? Just like your date?’ Regina chuckled, and took a sip of the beer that was just placed in front of her. When she offered the other glass to Emma, the blonde felt a strange bubble in her stomach.  
  
Emma contemplated declining the beer and leaving, but after she rose from her chair, she turned back to Regina again.  
  
‘You know what,’ she scoffed as she grabbed the beer that Regina still was holding up, ‘why don’t you tell me why _you’re_ here alone, while we’re waiting for my date.’ Then she looked from the beer to Regina, back to the beer again, and took a large gulp. Regina kept grinning through the entire thing.  
  
‘I’m telling you, she’s not coming,’ the brunette answered in sing-songy voice.  
  
‘How would you know that?’ Emma hissed, not even hiding the fact that Regina was pissing her off.  
  
‘At what time were you supposed to meet her?’ Regina asked, glaring at her own beer.  
  
‘Eight,’ Emma replied, and continued quickly when Regina opened her mouth again, ‘ _but,_ I just got a text that she’d be thirty minutes later.’  
  
Regina tutted, shook her head, and locked eyes with the blonde. ‘Two words: Not. Coming.’  
  
‘How are you so sure of that?!’ Emma tried not to yell.  
  
‘Because,’ Regina said slowly, leaning into Emma, ‘if _I_ had a date with such a beautiful woman, _I’d_ make sure I’d be at least twenty minutes _early.’  
  
_ Emma’s jaw dropped once again.  
  
‘Well… what the… ever heard of a _blind date,_ you… you… Are you _flirting_ with me?’ she stammered, not sure whether to be angry or flattered. She was flushing anyhow, and about to make another snappy remark, when her phone rang.  
  
Regina sipped her beer casually throughout the phonecall the blonde was having.  
  
‘This is Emma? … Yes. … Yes, of course, for almost thirty minutes now. … Uh-uh. … I know that. … But… What the hell? … And she didn’t even…? … No, no Zelena, that’s all right. … Yes, I know. … No, I’ll be okay. … Yeah, if there even _is_ a next time. … Mh-m. … Thank you, you too. See you on Monday.’  
  
While slowly gliding her phone back into her pocket, Emma thought about the fastest way to leave the place without granting Regina the joy of having been right. But when she watched her from the corner of her eye, the brunette’s self-assured smile told her she’d be too late for that, and Regina had caught too much of the phone conversation not to understand that Emma had indeed been stood up.  
  
‘So…’ Regina started, painfully drawing out the ‘o’. ‘Em-ma…’ she continued, happily letting the blonde know that she’d caught on her name.    
  
‘Yes, yes, _yes,_ you were right, oh mighty Queen of fucking prophecy,’ Emma growled, snatching her beer and chugging the whole thing.  
  
‘Hey!’ Regina cried out. ‘That was my treat. You’re paying the next if you drink like that.’  
  
‘The next?!’ Emma shot back. ‘You honestly think I’m staying for _another?’_  
  
As the two women locked eyes, a silence fell over them. Both of them were too stubborn to look away.  
  
‘Yes,’ Regina eventually said with a slight nod. ‘To that question, and your previous one.’  
  
At Emma’s visible confusion, she reminded her: ‘I _am_ flirting with you.’  
  
Emma felt herself blush again, and the bubble in her stomach had made a return. This crazy beautiful woman was challenging, and something deep inside her wanted to stay, to see where they would take the challenge.  
  
After blinking a few times, Emma decided to take her seat again.  
  
‘So when will you tell me why _you’re_ here on your own?’ she asked Regina, her eyes narrowing.  
  
The brunette just shrugged. ‘I had a business dinner. That’s when I saw you enter. My business contact left and I… stayed to see what you were doing here.’  
  
Emma tilted her head and watched Regina’s face while she talked. Something told her that Regina wasn’t telling her the whole story, but she couldn’t decide what made her think so.  
  
‘So how’d it go?’ she decided to ask.  
  
‘What?’  
  
‘The business you had dinner over.’  
  
For the first time, Regina looked shy as she turned away her head. She grabbed a menu from the bar and opened it.

‘So, since you’re treating now, shall we have a cocktail?’ Regina suggested, trying to change the subject. Emma placed the palm of her hand on the menu.  
  
‘Sure, after you tell me what you’re not telling me now,’ she said, now having the upper hand in the conversation. ‘Something is bothering you. Why not tell it to a perfect stranger like me?’  
  
It went silent for a few seconds, then Regina took a deep breath.  
  
‘I got fired.’  
  
‘You what?’  
  
‘I’m not saying it again.’  
  
Emma lifted her hand from the menu and pulled it closer.  
  
‘Damn woman, you’re definitely in need of a cocktail.’

 

* * *

 

  
  
As the alcohol flooded, Emma noticed that just being fired probably wasn’t Regina’s only concern. While talking about what their lives looked like, Emma kept seeing small signs of Regina’s condition – or maybe she saw it now because it had suddenly become quite a theme in Emma’s life. She noticed the wrinkles in the brunette’s white blouse, the shabby seams in her pants, and the intense fidgeting whenever they were about to order a drink, or when the subject ‘money’ came up in their conversation. It was irony really, Emma thought scornfully, considering why she was at this bar in the first place. Her frustration over her blind date not showing up however, was completely gone; while Regina might have her problems, she also was full of charm, sass, and beauty. A relationship with her would scare her off completely, but she ached to know what this woman would be like between the sheets.  
  
By the time it turned 10 pm, Emma started to have trouble focusing. She had to really concentrate in order for her to see things sharp, as the alcohol was influencing her brain. But every time her eyes drifted off, it was a pleasure to finally find and look at Regina again, even though the woman had irritated her so much.  
  
‘Tell me about your blind date, Emma,’ Regina purred softly, as she sat even closer to Emma.  
  
‘Why would you do such a thing? Was somebody trying to hook you up, or did you actually hire someone to arrange someth…’  
  
‘ _God_ no,’ Emma giggled, furiously shaking her head. ‘I didn’t _hire_ someone, I’m not _that_ desperate.’ She tried to give Regina a meaningful stare, but the two of them only laughed when Emma couldn’t keep that up for more than a few seconds. While sighing dramatically, she thought she might as well tell Regina the truth.  
  
‘So, this boss I’m currently working for,’ she started slowly, eying Regina to see if she would listen, ‘I guess, you could say that she got kind of concerned with me being single.’  
  
Regina definitely did not have to know that she had tried to hit on her boss. And now that she thought about it – it wouldn’t hurt to edit a few more facts of the story, considering Regina’s financial state. This woman in front of her… she wasn’t going to hurt her any more than she’d already been today.  
  
‘We were talking about the difference between rich and average people. She said that she would only sleep with people within her own rank. “As if you’d notice the difference!” I said, but she wasn’t having any of it. So she’d set me up with a date, not telling me whether the woman would be rich or average, and I’d have to make a guess afterwards. It’s _really_ stupid, I mean… it’s not like rich people have better sex, right?’  
  
Emma laughed shortly. She checked up on Regina if she’d buy her lie, but wasn’t sure if her facial expression read disappointment or disgust.  
  
‘I only went through with it because my date could have been an amazing woman, regardless of her financial state. It’s stupid, that’s what it is. I’m not… I’m not some kind of gold-digger, you know. I’m more profound than that,’ she added proudly, earning herself a smile from the brunette again.  
  
‘You did seem more like the trustworthy type,’ Regina nodded, her smile increasing and her eyes narrowing.  
  
‘Yeah, I am,’ Emma confirmed, nodding furiously, ‘and I mean, it didn’t even turn out that bad! My date never showed up, but instead… I got to talk to you.’ Emma felt all her blood rush towards her cheeks.  
  
‘How noble of you.’ Regina’s voice was almost a whisper. Her hand went to Emma’s lower arm, and with her nails she softly tickled the skin there. The blood that had just rushed to Emma’s cheeks, now seemed to make a U-turn right to her core.  
  
‘I’m really glad I got to talk to you too,’ Regina continued, her mouth close to Emma’s ear. ‘You gave me quite the challenge there - almost leaving, yelling at me…’  
  
The more Regina said, the closer she got to Emma’s ear. She lightly scraped her nails up the blonde’s arm, now tickling her collar bone.  
  
‘But you know what, Emma? I like to be challenged. It deepens the satisfaction I get when I… finally get what I wanted all along.’  
  
The hairs in the back of Emma’s neck went up, and a shiver ran through her body.  
  
‘Are you cold, Emma?’   
  
The blonde briefly closed her eyes and thanked the gods that apparently, her story had worked. She’d definitely kept Regina interested.  
  
‘On the contrary,’ Emma whispered back. ‘It’s getting really hot in here.’  
  
Regina took back her distance and looked around her before saying: ‘What would you think of cooling down a bit?’ At the sharp intake of Emma’s breath, she continued: ‘At my place?’  
  
Emma grinned, drunk with alcohol and desire, and licked her lips before she nodded. She beckoned the waiter, tipped him royally, and went after Regina to grab her jacket.  
  
At the swaying of the brunette’s hips, Emma almost lost her self-control. When they reached the cloakroom, the blonde went for it and grabbed Regina at the waist. She was about to attack her neck with her mouth, but Regina took a step back.  
  
Emma groaned.  
  
‘If we start this now, I won’t be able to stop,’ Regina explained softly. ‘We will be home in ten minutes.’  
  
They grabbed their coats, quietly walked outside, and Regina waved at the cab that was already there.  
  
Only when they entered the cab and Regina told the address to the driver, Emma became slightly confused.  
  
‘Is it… Uh…’ How would she bring this to words? ‘Don’t you own a… car? Or a bike?’ she decided to go with, unsure how to ask whether Regina would be able to pay for a cab.  
  
Regina’s brows shot up and she looked at Emma playfully.  
  
‘Since I’m the one inviting you over, I gathered you’d pay for the ride,’ she said matter-of-factly. Emma could only stare, and eventually nodded.  
  
‘Oh, uh, yeah. Yeah sure, no problem.’  
  
They were quiet for the rest of the ride, both afraid to break the emicious tension that had been between them. When the taxi-driver pulled over in front of a big white mansion, Emma spoke again.  
  
‘Why are we stopping?’  
  
Regina eyed her carefully. ‘We’re here, Emma.’  
  
‘We’re… what?’  
  
Emma gulped as she looked upon the enormous building. This was where Regina lived? She definitely had to sort some stuff out then, regarding the difference between her home and her clothes.  
  
She paid silently, and followed Regina on her way to the porch. There was a faint smell of chlorine in the air, which suggested a pool nearby, there were large columns which seemed to be made of marble, and the front yard was perfectly sustained. Emma let out a low whistle.  
  
‘My god, Regina… You live here?’  
  
Regina smiled politely, which made Emma feel highly uncomfortable.  
  
‘Are you rich or something?’ she joked awkwardly as they walked up to the front door, but at Regina’s simple ‘yes,’ she did a double take. Had she interpreted all the signs wrong?  
  
Just when she was about to phrase her confusion and Regina unlocked the door, the blonde’s eyes fell on the name sign just above the doorbell.  
  
‘Regina _Mills?’_ she read out loud. ‘That’s funny, that’s my boss’s last name, too.’  
  
The brunette kept silent, they stepped inside, and Emma’s jaw dropped at the interior.  
  
‘My god… Regina, I have to be honest with you. I never would have guessed this… You, and, and.. this house.’  
  
Now the brunette turned towards Emma; her lip was curled slightly upwards.  
  
‘So, do _you_ own a bike, Emma?’ she said, and chuckled upon Emma’s frown.  
  
‘Because you will be riding it to work for a month.’  
  
‘ _What?!’  
  
_ ‘ _YEAHHHHH!’  
  
_ A loud cackle emerged from the back room.  
  
‘That’s a win for me, pretty!’ As Zelena strode into the hallway, Emma felt herself become completely sober at once.  
  
‘ _Zelena?’_  
  
Emma gazed at Regina, who smiled up triumphantly to, apparently, her sibling.  
  
‘You… you tricked me?’ Emma said softly, still processing what was happening. ‘You tricked me!’  
  
She pointed at both of the Mills sisters and felt herself become so embarrassed, tears were welling up in her eyes.  
  
‘What the _hell?’_  
  
As Regina and Zelena broke into laughter together, Emma’s chest filled with anger.  
  
‘I told you,’ Zelena said as she wrapped an arm around her sister.  
  
‘But… but the blind date?’ Emma stammered. She couldn’t decide whether to leave or to get an explanation.  
  
Regina and Zelena shared a look, and then Regina rose her hand and started explaining.  
  
‘That was me anyhow. I’m sorry. Zelena had thought it all through, though. Just sending you on a blind date wouldn’t fool you, so we had to make it… somewhat more believable.’  
  
‘It was all an act?’ Emma got more and more furious as she listened. ‘You’re… not even gay? I… the flirting, it was all fake? The ‘lucky’ encounter, fake?’  
  
‘Zelena had a pretty strict time schedule,’ Regina smirked.  
  
‘I _had_ to teach you a lesson, dear. And Regina was all with me,’ Zelena added.  
  
‘You should’ve heard her talk about how it was all _your_ idea, and how she wouldn’t know the difference, just to spare my feelings!’ the brunette told her sister.  
  
As Regina rambled on about Emma’s behavior at the bar, the blonde snapped.  
  
‘I can’t _fucking_ believe this.’  
  
She turned around and paced towards the front door.  
  
‘No, Emma, wait!’ Regina yelled, but Emma had no intention of stopping. She was hurt, angry, and embarrassed. She wanted to leave, and so she fled as soon as possible, Regina’s attempts to stop her slightly fading away in the distance.

 

* * *

 

‘Finally, Emma! Here you are!’  
  
Regina let out a relieved sigh when she finally found Emma bent over on a park bench. When she looked up, there was visible evidence that she’d been crying.  
  
‘What the hell Regina? It’s 5 am. Go away. Go to sleep. Go fuck over another innocent person.’  
  
Emma’s voice was raw, she sounded exhausted.  
  
‘Emma, I swear, if I’d known that you’d be _this_ hurt, I’d never agreed to it.’  
  
The blonde let out a small sarcastic laugh.  
  
‘Sure you wouldn’t.’  
  
‘May I sit next to you, please?’  
  
‘No. Go away.’  
  
Regina took a seat anyway. ‘Emma, I…’  
  
‘Go away Regina! Is that even your real name? Is there even _anything_ you said that is true?’  
  
After a silence, Regina took in a deep breath and started talking.  
  
‘My name is Regina Mills. I’m half-sister of Zelena Mills, who is your boss. I’m the owner of an international law company and I make so much money that I couldn’t spend it in a lifetime if I tried to. I’m about as straight as cooked spaghetti and my absolute weaknesses are pretty blondes.’  
  
When she heard Emma’s breathing took on a more steady pace, Regina continued.  
  
‘I was told that there was a pretty blonde who was pretty convinced that the rich are better than the poor. I was also told that this blonde was date-material, and a very dear employee and friend to my sister. She qualified you as my type, even though you had to be taught a lesson.’  
  
‘A good thing you two aren’t teachers,’ Emma huffed.  
  
‘So I agreed to set up said lesson, mostly after I heard that you would be able to handle a joke…-‘  
  
‘Well ha-fucking- _ha.’  
  
‘_...which we, perhaps, took a bit too far. But my intention was to actually have a nice date with you, even after Zelena showed me your picture… And definitely when I spotted you at the bar. I thought of it as a two-in-one – date a beautiful woman and teach her some morality.’  
  
‘You’re one to speak about morality!’  
  
‘I already said that we might have taken it too far, Emma. I admit that. Zelena does, too. But there’s a reason that it’s me who has been looking for you in the middle of the night, and not her.’  
  
For the first time since Regina’s speech, Emma looked up.  
  
‘What’s that,’ she mumbled. When she saw the blush that crept up the brunette’s neck, Emma sat up straight.  
  
‘What I wouldn’t have given for you to kiss me at the bar,’ she whispered. ‘The money thing, it might have been a joke, but… the attraction, the fun we had, the… desire…’ Regina’s eyes darkened, ‘that wasn’t a joke. That was real. And I really liked that part of our date.’  
  
Emma would’ve lied if she said that the brunette’s words left her unaffected, but she wasn’t convinced.  
  
‘If you think I’d ever _trust_ you…-‘ she snarled, but Regina held up a hand.  
  
‘I’m thirty-four years old. Zelena is my only sister. I studied to become a politician but I rolled into law instead. I own a cat. My favorite color is purple. I used to be blonde. I sleep on my stomach. I’m terribly afraid of pigeons. I wish I could sing, but I can’t. I curse when I drive. I’m the most ticklish person ever. I once sneaked into the back door of a movie theatre to see a movie for free. And I would really, really like a second chance with you, Emma.’  
  
It was silent for a minute.  
  
‘ _Blonde?’_ Emma eventually loathed. ‘That must have looked awful on you.’  
  
Regina rolled her eyes. ‘I confess all my secrets and _that_ is what you decide to comment on?’  
  
‘You know I’m attracted to you, too, Regina. But you have to understand that I simply cannot trust you so soon. I don’t know what I should do.’  
  
‘Go on a date with me, Emma,’ Regina said. ‘An actual, honest, no-joke-nor-lesson-date. My treat. And I won’t accept you picking anything but the most expensive thing on the menu,’ she added, smiling.  
  
‘If we do that, doesn’t that defeat the whole purpose of my lesson?’ Emma suggested. Regina chuckled at that.  
  
‘Beautiful, lovely, and silly girl,’ the brunette whispered. She carefully took Emma’s hand in hers, and kissed the blonde’s fingers.  
  
‘You still have to wear sweatpants. And you’ll go by bike. But since I’m not some evil queen, you can borrow mine.’   
 


End file.
